Ecopsychology

Is There an Ecological Unconscious?

This article published this month in the New York Times Magazine discussed the concept of ecopsychology. A relatively new branch of psychology, ecopsychology studies the connection between a person's environmental surroundings and their effect on mental health. At first, the connection between the enviornment and psychology seems contrived, but, considering that psychology has been gradually broadening its horizons since its conception, to accept the enviornment under its tent of influences on the psyche is a natural progression. This subject is particularly poignant considering the current state of affairs with global warming and growing concern for the enviornment. The idea that a deteriorating enviornment could have not only negative physical effects for humanity, but negative mental implications as well I found particularly interesting.